The SteamRanger Heritage Railway is an 82 kilometres long 1600 mm broad gauge tourist railway, formerly the Victor Harbor railway line of the South Australian Railways (SAR). It is operated by the not-for-profit South Australian Division of the Australian Railway Historical Society. As the last operating non-suburban line of the former broad-gauge network, on which Australia's first public railway was opened, the line and its associated rail assets have high historical significance.
South Australian Railways (SAR) was the statutory corporation through which the Government of South Australia built and operated railways in South Australia from 1854 until March 1978, when its non-urban railways were incorporated into Australian National, and its Adelaide urban lines were transferred to the State Transport Authority.
The Redhen railcars was the nickname given to the 300 and 400 classes of diesel-hydraulic railcars designed by the South Australian Railways and built at its Islington Railway Workshops between 1955 and 1971. The railcars, which operated in Adelaide suburban service until 1996, remain a nostalgic part of South Australian memory. Some continue to be operated by the SteamRanger Heritage Railway, the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide and other railway preservation entities.
The National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, South Australia is the largest under-cover railway museum in Australia. More than 100 major exhibits, mainly from the South Australian Railways (SAR) and Commonwealth Railways and their successor, Australian National, are displayed at its 3.5 hectares site. A large archival collection of photographs of those railways and records created by them is also managed by the museum. The museum operates with a large number of volunteers.
The South Australian Railways 520 class, also known as "The Whispering Giants", is a class of streamliner 4-8-4 'Northern' type steam locomotive operated by the former South Australian Railways. The 520 class is one of the fastest Australian-built steam locomotives, with engine 520 holding a verified speed record of over 78mph on the Port Pirie line on the 10th of November, 1943.
Mount Barker railway station is a preserved railway station in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia, on the 1600 mm broad gauge Victor Harbor line, formerly operated by South Australian Railways and its successor, Australian National. When the nearby Adelaide-Melbourne railway line was converted to 1435 mm standard gauge in 1995, the line was disconnected. The station has become the headquarters of the Australian Railway Historical Society, a not-for-profit organisation trading as SteamRanger, which runs more than 200 trips per year, of various durations, on the line.
The 45 class was a class of mainline electric locomotive built in-house in 1952 by the New South Wales Department of Railways' Chullora Railway Workshops. With only a single locomotive in the class, 4501 was renumbered 7100 in October 1961, which freed up the number range for the 45-class diesel locomotives.
The X100 class were a group of rail tractors built by Chullora Railway Workshops in 1962 and operated by the New South Wales Government Railways of Australia.
The 500 class were a class of South Australian Railways diesel shunter locomotives built at Islington Railway Workshops between 1964 and 1969.
The 900 class were a class of diesel locomotives built by Islington Railway Workshops for the South Australian Railways between 1951 and 1953.
The 700 class is a class of six diesel-electric locomotives based on the Alco DL500G model, built by AE Goodwin, Auburn, New South Wales for the South Australian Railways. They are virtually identical to the New South Wales 442 class locomotive.
The Islington Railway Workshops are railway workshops in the northern suburbs of Adelaide, South Australia. They were the chief railway workshops of the South Australian Railways, and are still in operation today.
The X10 class is a class of steam locomotives previously operated by the New South Wales Government Railways of Australia.
The South Australian Railways 700 class was a class of 2-8-2 steam locomotives operated by the South Australian Railways.
The South Australian Railways 710 class was a class of 2-8-2 steam locomotives operated by the South Australian Railways.
The South Australian Railways R class engine, later upgraded to Rx Class engine is a class of 4-6-0 steam engines operated by the South Australian Railways.
The South Australian Railways F class is a class of 4-6-2T steam locomotives operated by the South Australian Railways.
The Milang railway line was a branch line, now closed, of the former South Australian Railways that left the mainline to Victor Harbor at the farming locality of Sandergrove, 9 km (5.6 mi) south of Strathalbyn and 89.7 km (55.7 mi) by rail from Adelaide. From there it proceeded in a south-easterly direction for 13.1 km (8.1 mi) to the riverport of Milang on Lake Alexandrina, in the estuary of the River Murray. The line was opened on 17 December 1884; it was formally closed on 17 June 1970. The route is now a "rail trail" that is popular with hikers. The precincts of the former Milang station house a railway museum that includes an innovative locomotive driving simulator for visitors to operate. Onsite is a centre for South Australian historical light railways.
Strathalbyn railway station is a preserved railway station in the southeastern edge of the Adelaide Hills, South Australia, on the broad gauge Victor Harbor line, formerly operated by South Australian Railways and its successor, Australian National.
Port Elliot railway station is a preserved railway station located in the river port of Port Elliot, on the broad gauge Victor Harbor line, formerly operated by South Australian Railways and its successor, Australian National.
